


Two Soulmarks

by Curtashiism



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Kosmo's cute antics, Light Angst, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:42:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28726044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Curtashiism/pseuds/Curtashiism
Summary: Who would have thought waking up from night terrors would lead them to discover they had not one, but two soulmates?
Relationships: Curtis/Keith (Voltron), Curtis/Keith/Shiro (Voltron), Curtis/Shiro (Voltron), Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14
Collections: Holly Poly 2020





	Two Soulmarks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MFLuder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MFLuder/gifts).



> This is my first time writing this pairing. I was very nervous! I'm sorry I couldn't rewrite all of season 8 to include their relationship, but I hope this one scene is good. I hope you enjoy reading this, MFLuder! :)

It started with three nightmares.

Shiro had been plagued by the same nightmare he often had. It was filled with distorted voices chanting “Champion!” over and over again as Shiro ran from a deranged-looking Myzax. He always woke with a sick feeling in his gut and his heart pounding so fast it ached. With the Atlas’s gym closed at this time of night, preventing him from exercising out his nervous energy, he ended up heading to the cafeteria, hoping the walk would clear his head.

Keith, too, found his subconscious tormenting him in his sleep. He saw Shiro’s face, eyes turned a glowing purple, laughing maniacally and chasing him. His prosthetic arm glowed and shot plasma at him as Keith froze, powerless to fight or even dodge. The light raced towards him, at which point Keith always jolted awake with a gasp. He, too, found the anxiety was only eased by wandering around the Atlas.

Shiro and Keith had known the other to have nightmares for a long, long time, and often bumped into each other on nights like these. They’d sit together, talking about anything but what they’d dreamed about, reassured by each other’s company.

And so it was tonight. As though called to each other, they ended up at the same table in the cafeteria, both carrying mugs of hot chocolate from the automated machine near the empty serving line. It was easy to do what they so often did, enjoying the silent companionship as they slowly drank their hot chocolate and warmed themselves up.

It was highly unusual for their meeting to be interrupted- especially by someone who wasn’t another Paladin. But that was exactly what happened tonight, as Curtis came wandering in, eyes slightly red. Curtis didn’t seem to see Keith and Shiro as he made his way to the hot chocolate dispenser and then filled his mug. It was only when he turned around and scanned the tables for a spot to sit that he saw them. His eyes went wide, looking like he’d been caught doing something embarrassing.

Curtis never did tell Shiro and Keith what he’d been dreaming of that night, but they were able to guess. The invasion, they were sure, either the day it had started or one of the failed rescue missions he’d assisted on later.

“Should we invite him over?” Shiro asked Keith in a hushed voice. “I think he’d appreciate it. Friendly faces, you know…”

“I don’t know, maybe he just wants to be left alone?” Keith suggested, frowning. “That’s what I usually prefer, when it’s not, well, you guys.”

As though hearing what they were saying, Curtis hastily said, “I- I’ll just be a minute!” and blew on his mug, trying to cool his drink down enough that he wouldn’t burn his tongue.

Shiro and Keith gazed at each other for a long moment, having a silent conversation with shrugs and nods, before Shiro said, “It’s okay if you want to sit with us, Curtis. You aren’t bothering us at all. We enjoy your company.”

“Are you sure?” Curtis asked, looking from Shiro to Keith. “You two seemed like you were happy on your own. I’d hate to intrude on that.”

“It’s fine, we don’t mind,” Keith said.

“If you’re sure…” Curtis hesitated for another moment before making his way to their table, sitting down with a sigh. He fidgeted enough that if they hadn’t suspected it already, they would have immediately been tipped off that Curtis was dealing with his own night terrors.

Fiddling with his mug and tracing one finger over the handle, Curtis asked, “So, uh… You guys couldn’t sleep either, I’m guessing?”

“Yeah,” Shiro answered. “We both have trouble sleeping when we’re under too much stress.”

Nodding thoughtfully, Curtis said, “That makes sense. I would be the same in your shoes.” He stared down into his mug and took a deep drink.

“Something tells me you already are,” Keith said, frowning in concern. “You don’t look very… well-rested.”

Curtis froze, stammering. “I, well- I guess-”

“It’s alright. You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” Shiro said, holding his arms up in a ‘relax’ gesture. “Keith and I don’t.”

They could see it on Curtis’s face as Keith’s words registered and a deep, sympathetic expression suddenly appeared there. “You have them too? I’m sorry… Is there anything I can do?”

Shiro gave a small smile. “Stay with us and talk?” We’d like that.

“Sure, I can do that,” Curtis agreed, looking less nervous than he had just a few moments before. To Keith, he added, “Is your wolf nearby?”

“Kosmo is probably asleep, but he tends to teleport in whenever he wakes up alone,” Keith explained, taking a sip of hot chocolate. “Why?”

“Oh, well. I like dogs a lot and I just hoped…” He trailed off with a shrug. “You know. Everyone talks about him but every time I’ve talked with you, he’s been with your mom, so I haven’t been able to really meet him myself.”

As though aware that he was being talked about, Kosmo appeared in a flash right beside Curtis. Keith was used to that enough that he didn’t bat an eye, but Shiro jumped, and Curtis very nearly fell over before the shock wore off and he looked at the giant wolf, eyes filled with pure joy. “Wow,” he breathed, holding out his hand to Kosmo’s snout. “Hey, boy. You’re really pretty, aren’t you… Can I touch you?” He inched his hand forward until it rested against Kosmo’s nose, and then slowly began to pet him. “You’re so soft. Do you wanna be my friend?”

Kosmo needed no more prompting. In an instant he had jumped on the two seats next to Curtis, somehow managing to balance himself on them, with his front half resting in Curtis’s lap. Curtis looked like all his dreams had come true at once, petting Kosmo gently and beaming like they were the only two beings in the universe.

Shiro and Keith met each other’s eyes again, having another silent conversation. It was strangely endearing, seeing how much love Curtis had for animals, and especially that he didn’t care in the slightest that Kosmo wasn’t an ordinary Earth dog. All he cared about was that Kosmo was kind and gentle and soft. And he took the same approach with people, as they had seen when he and Veronica befriended Acxa. Keith and Shiro both missed seeing such openheartedness. The trauma of the invasion had squashed it in most other humans they knew.

“I hope this doesn’t sound patronizing,” Curtis suddenly said, looking up from his lap. “But I’ve been meaning to say this for a while and there never seems to be a good time with all that’s going on, so… I’m really awed that you two are holding up so well. I don’t think I could take a fraction of what you two have. And you’re both still so resilient and brave. No matter what a mission calls for, you don’t hesitate. That goes for all the Paladins, but you two have so many additional pressures as leaders. And I admire you so much for it. I know people who are struggling a lot more after dealing with a lot less than you two.” He went quiet again, petting Kosmo’s hair.

Shiro had a feeling he knew exactly who Curtis was referring to with that last part, but didn’t say that aloud. “Thank you, Curtis. We know it’s not easy for you, either. We both appreciate all the hard work you’ve done to keep the Atlas running smoothly.”

“Like the other day when Voltron was investigating that Robeast,” Keith added. “If it wasn’t for you taking that shot, that thing could have killed all of us.”

“You would have gotten away… but thank you.” Curtis gave a nervous, almost shy smile that broadened when Kosmo let out a soft, happy whine. “I’m happy to be able to help you both any way I can. And I hope- I hope you know that goes beyond communications stuff too. If you need anything else, personal or anything, I’ll try to help as best I can with that too.”

“Thank you,” Shiro said softly. “I appreciate that very much. And I hope you know the same goes for you. We’re here if you need us.”

“Yeah, same here. I appreciate it,” Keith said, grinning. “And I think Kosmo appreciates _you_ most of all right now.”

Curtis chuckled, holding up a hand that was covered in shed fur. “I have a way with animals, I guess. I have since I was little. My pets were my best friends sometimes, but I haven’t had any animals since the invasion. So, thank you again Keith, for letting me borrow Kosmo for a bit. It feels like being back home.” He scratched Kosmo under the chin, earning a pleased grunt. “You’re such a good boy,” he cooed to Kosmo, moving to pet his belly, only to find that the table blocked him from being able to reach. Kosmo let out a pathetic whine, eyes darting between Curtis and the table.

Suddenly, with a flash of light, Curtis and Kosmo were gone. Shiro and Keith looked at each other in alarm, both standing simultaneously, and Keith yelling Kosmo’s name.

Then, with another flash, they reappeared in the middle of the room, on the floor, with Kosmo happily stretching out with the increased space. He nearly pushed Curtis over as he pushed Curtis’s chest to encourage him to pet him more, and Curtis dazedly complied. One hand reached under Kosmo to rub his belly as he blinked in bafflement.

After a full minutes of stunned silence, Shiro was the first to burst into laughter, wheezing and resting his head on Keith’s shoulder for support. Keith soon joined him, snorting at his wolf’s shameless sounds of delight.

Curtis was the last, but he laughed the hardest and loudest. He shook with the force of it as he held onto Kosmo. “Give us all a heart attack because you wanted more cuddles? Sure, why not. This is more important.” He shook his head, chuckling, and scratched Kosmo’s head. “Silly boy.”

The humor ended up creating the perfect mix of emotions inside them. It left them with fondness that grew for the other two parts of the trio, solidifying as they looked at the endearing facial expressions the others had.

And at that moment, something happened inside each of them. It was the first time Shiro and Keith- who already shared feelings for each other- had thought of Curtis in more than a friendly way, and the same was true for Curtis’s thoughts of them.

And that was enough to trigger their soulmarks to activate. Everybody was born with a soulmark in the form of a tattoo of something significant to their soulmate. It would only become visible at the moment they developed feelings for the other- or _others_ , in this case. Shiro and Keith had long been confused at their marks never revealing themselves, with how much love they felt for each other, but now, as the marks came online, and as they saw Curtis’s do the same, it all made sense. They’d all had _two_ soulmarks all along, marks that could only activate now.

For Curtis, the marks were exactly what Shiro and Keith would have imagined their soulmate’s marks as: two lions, one filled in with red and one filled in with black. For Keith, one mark took the form of the same black lion, as he had imagined so many times when he closed his eyes, and the other was a cello. And Shiro, of course, had a red lion and the same cello mark that represented Curtis. He took a look at his and Keith’s lions, smiling softly, before carefully studying Curtis’s cello.

“You-” There were so many things Shiro wanted to finish that sentence with. “You’re my soulmate?” was the first to come to mind, of course. “You play music?” was another obvious question. And lastly was, “You like us?” But he didn’t manage to vocalize any of them, too stunned to think clearly.

“We’re…” Keith started to say, but just like Shiro, he couldn’t figure out how to finish the sentence. The revelation that he not only had found his soulmate, but that he had more than one of them, caused the words to die on his lips.

“I, uh…” Curtis couldn’t stop looking at the two lions that had appeared on his arm. “Uh. Yeah, I like you both. You… I just assumed you two were together already, so I kind of ignored it. But I guess, uh.” He stroked up and down his arm, then traced his tattoos. “I like them. I thought this was what your soulmarks would look like, I just didn’t think they’d be on _me_.” Glancing up and remembering that they probably wouldn’t know the meaning of the cello tattoos, he said, “I play the cello. I’m not a virtuoso or anything, but I’ve played since I was little and I’m probably pretty good by now.” He gave a soft smile. “I’ll play for you both sometime, if you want to hear.”

“I would.” Shiro smiled widely and stood, walking over to where Curtis was cuddling with Kosmo. “I’d love to get to know you better.”

“Yeah.” Keith stood too, before sitting next to them and petting Kosmo gently. “I’d like that, too. Shiro and I already know each other really well, but I- we- want to get to know you too.”

“I’d like that very much.” Curtis smiled, resting his cheek on the top of Kosmo’s head and letting out a happy sigh. “I admired you both so much for so long, I just never thought… and now…” He shook his head in amazement. “Wow. I have _two_ soulmates.”

“Yeah. We all do.” Shiro wrapped his arms around the two of them- three, including Kosmo. “It’s nice, though.”

There was nothing to say that besides quiet murmurs of agreement, after which they fell into a happy, comfortable silence, sitting in Shiro’s embrace.


End file.
